Tree
by Baka Deshis
Summary: [OneShot] We should all love what Mother Nature has given to us. Especially if it is in the form of a dark, curly haired boy... BHr


**Tree**  
By Tasha

**Rating:** PG-13/T  
**Pairing:** BlaiseHermione  
**Summary: **We should all love what Mother Nature has given to us. Especially if it is in the form of a dark, curly haired boy.

* * *

"Hello, Granger." 

I jumped, waking up from my nap, and the book I read before I was asleep fell to the ground. There I saw was Zabini, climbing up the tree where I was resting on. Funny he was here, I tried not to blush or look pleased as I had fancied him since the beginning of seventh year.

"Oh, Accio book." I said, retrieving my book without moving.

"Fancy seeing you here, up a tree."

"This is none of your business, Zabini." I snapped, annoyed. "Why don't you go back to your Lisa Turpin? I'm sure she won't mind about a bug buzzing around her."

"I see you're not in the mood…" Zabini said as he sat on another branch.

"I'm never in the mood for your snarky remarks. Why don't you just go away? This is my tree." I told him, then I went back to my book.

"The last time I checked, this was Hogwart's grounds." Zabini said casually.

"Well, I'm the only one who comes up to this certain tree, anyway. Might as well claim it mine." I snapped back.

"You can not claim Mother Nature's creations."

"Claiming this tree is a way to express my love for Mother Nature's creations."

"Hm, you made a point…" Zabini pondered.

"Good, now piss off." I said, returning back to my book.

I didn't hear him move, and I didn't tell him off again, seeing as we stayed silent for the next few minutes.

I closed my book, as I had just finished it. I looked around; rays of sunshine squeezed between the leaves of the tree, some seventh year Slytherin boys were playing in the lake, some girls were basking in the sunshine and first years played around the grounds.

The leaves rustled a bit, as the wind blew in this cool, spring day.

I tried to relax atop this tree, but I was bored. I didn't have any reading material on me. So I did the unthinkable, try and strike up a conversation with Zabini.

I moved a bit to face him and started. "So, Zabini… Why aren't you swimming in the lake like the others?"

Zabini seemed a little shocked that I was talking to him, but quickly answered casually. "I wasn't in the mood for a swim. I'd rather climb up a tree and watch those little bastards make fools of themselves."

"I see…"

"And I'm slightly traumatic about that," Zabini continued, a hint of anxiety in his voice. "Giant squid." He shuddered.

I was blank and replied quietly. "Oh."

I should've known, striking up a conversation with Zabini? Of course he'll end up saying something strange like that.

"I… Swam in the lake in fifth year, the squid pulled me in." He said, seeing the blank expression on my face.

"I thought the squid was good, it would have never done that…" I said, confused.

"I was collecting sea weed that day, maybe it wanted to have some."

I held a laugh. "Interesting…"

"And what brings you here on a day like this?" He asked.

"Well, this is a beautiful day." I said, looking behind my shoulder where I could see the lake. "I couldn't just go to the library."

"And what about Potter and Weasley?"

"Quidditch."

"Weasel-ette?"

"That's Ginny Weasley." I said, offended. "She's in Quidditch too."

"That giggly bunch?"

"What, Parvati and Lavender?" I said. "I wouldn't get caught with those two. I admit they are nice, but all they talk about are boys and Witch Weekly."

"I see…" Zabini said, then he looked as if he was thinking hard. "What about…"

"There's no one else, Zabini."

"Oh bugger." He sighed. He paused for a minute. "Do you mind if I call you Hermione? Granger just seems so… rude."

I was surprised at first, but since this seemed like an act of Inter-House Unity, I replied, "Only if you don't mind if I call you Blaise."

He nodded, then leaned back on the tree.

"Why are you here?" I asked, not knowing what to say.

"Oh, my mother and father loved each other very much and decided…" Blaise said.

"I didn't mean that." I raised my voice, emphasizing on the last word.

"Oh, you mean, why I'm on this tree?" Blaise asked.

I nodded.

"Oh, I have the habit of climbing trees. Seeing as you are on this particular tree, I went ahead, since I might be able to chat with you for a bit."

"Yes, but the thing I'm concerned of is why a tree?" I asked. "You could just sit on one of those benches near the lake."

"As I said, I have a habit of climbing trees ever since I was young, secondly, I love nature, going up a tree, breathing the fresh clean air, I could see Mother Nature's other creations too." He said, as if it were nothing.

"I love it. Especially flowers. Other than their uses in potions and etcetra, they really are lovely. How they smell, how their petals are…" Blaise continued.

"If you keep on going like that, people might think you're as gay as a maypole." I interrupted him. "A lot of girls would be devastated if word got around."

"Would you be one of them?" Blaise asked, hopefully. God, what a narcissistic arse.

I glared at him.

"I said nothing." He said, probably avoiding a beating from me.

I just shook my head and leaned back on the tree.

"Why are you here?" Blaise said, sounding as if he were suspicious.

"Why are you asking the same questions that I asked you?"

"Am I asking the same questions that I asked you?"

"YES."

"Just answer my question." Blaise said. "Please."

"Why?" I asked, now it was my turn to act suspicious.

"The place is not bugged. Well, it is, ants do live inside the tree." Blaise said. "Come on, I'm so bored I might go stark raving mad. I'll say and ask anything."

"Same as you. I just love Mother Nature and its creations." I said. "I love the earth. Even though it is corrupt and disease ridden. But still…"

I sighed and leaned back on the tree, closing my eyes, hugging my book closer and breathed in.

"I see what you mean…" He leaned back, closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

We stayed silent, enjoying the sun and the breeze. There was nothing to talk about, and we didn't complain.

That is, until we heard thunder.

I jumped a bit and looked around, the boys who were swimming in the lake ran out, grabbing their clothes and cloaking their robes around them. The girls screamed and ran back inside, putting their hands over their heads, as if they could shield away the rain.

"Oh, bollocks, it's raining." Blaise swore. "Wouldn't want you to get sick, would you?"

"Wait, it's fine." I said, as he raised his wand to perform a spell. "The rain just adds to the effect."

He put is wand back inside his robe and merely smiled. "A house-elf activist and a lover of Mother Nature?" He chuckled. "I would've thought that you were one of those muggle tree muggers."

I laughed. "They're called 'tree huggers'. And that's a pretty offensive term, anyway."

"Right." He said, looking slightly embarrassed.

I turned my head towards the lake again. The rain made ripples through the surface of the lake, but all of a sudden there was an even bigger ripple, and a large tentacle emerged. I faced Blaise and I saw that he shuddered.

Sitting upright, I put a finger to the linings of the book, tracing it up until the edges. Then I felt something—or someone— tapping me on my shoulder.

I looked up and saw Blaise with a ripe, red apple in his hand. "Here." He said, handing me the apple. "You looked a bit hungry."

I took the apple slowly and carefully. What if it was some sort of joke? Did he poison it?

"You have got to stop being so paranoid." Blaise chuckled.

"Then how did you get this apple?" I asked, examining it.

"I found a spell that can make leaves turn into apples." Blaise said. "So I thought that I could practice it now."

I shrugged and took a bite.

"Unfortunately I haven't gotten the hang of it yet." He continued.

I spat out the piece of apple I had eaten. I looked at the flesh of the apple. Instead of it's usual white and creamy colour, it was green with another lighter shade of green around the core.

"Sorry about that." He said bashfully.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it." I consoled him.

"Anyway that was a last resort. I'd rather have an apple picked from an apple tree. I'm not a fan of anything artificial."

"Same here. Even though magic can help make anything synthetic look more realistic, it's not the same." I said.

"Yeah…"

"Well, best be off." I got down from the tree and straightened my cloak.

"Wait, where are you going?" Blaise asked as he too got down from the tree.

"I wouldn't want to get a cold." I said logically. "If I do, Harry and Ron would have a fit and blame you for my condition."

"You're right, I wouldn't want my face to meet their fists." He said. I held a laugh. "Well, I'll come too."

"It was nice talking to you." I said and reached my hand out to shake his hand. Instead he took my hand and pulled me to him.

"What are you doing?" I asked, confused.

"Something I would never regret." He said. "Hermione, I've fancied you for a long time. Would you," He kneeled on one knee. "Go with me to Hogsmeade next week."

I was shocked, but smiled. "Sure, why not?"

He grinned and hugged me. "Blaise, it's not like you proposed to me." I said, laughing.

"Not yet anyway." He murmured.

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"No really…" I began, but was shut up by a certain boy's lips.

And I didn't mind. It was an excuse to express our love for what Mother Nature has given us and a way to express our love for each other.

Or fancy, until it would turn into love and then...

Nevermind.


End file.
